Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-09-29

BROCKWAY CENTRE, MICH.
DIR. Herbert w. Yeamans OF Detroit.
who has for the past five years been
absent and during tho most of that
time has been on the Alaska station,
having passed one year in Sitka, made
two cruis es on the revenue cutter Cor
win, going through Behring's Straits
nearly as far north as where the
Jeanette was lost, visiting Point
Barrow, the northermost of the United
States possessions, and also cruising
along the entire cost and the islands
which form the most valuable portion
of the territory as far as is known, says
OF the resolutions passed at the recent
session of the Prison Congress in
Toronto recommending the use OF
Alaska as penal settlement: Laying
aside the fact that tho United States
government has never favored the
scheme of penal settlements, the scheme
is impracticable. The only possible
place in the territory to establish penal
colonies are the Alcutian Islands and
they are too valuable for fishing colo
MES to be used as a stamping ground for
convicts." REGARDING tho future de-
velopment of the territory, DR.. Yea
mans says: 1.-The present governor,
Hon. A. P. Swineford of Michigan has
done all he could to improve the con-
dition Of things in the territory. but
unfortunately congress did not see tit
to grant his requests, Alaska, of all the
territories,is alone denied representation
in congress, and what is worse, there
is practically no civil law there. The
United States land laws do not apply
there and there is but one way of obtain
ing valid title to property and that is by
purchasing from some one who holds a
good Russian title. To obtain govern
ment lands there is but one way, and
that is under the mining laws which
give possessory title only, the holder
only retaining title as long as he does
certain amount of work Oh the claim
each year. If Gov Swineford could
only get what he asks for. the develop
ment of the country would be immense.
The Baltimore council of the Catholic
church has recently issued decree
commencing the societies called the
Catholic union for promoting total
abstinence and admouishing those
engaged in the liquor traffic that it is
surrounded by great dangers and oc-
casions for sin. The decree declares
that whenever "the faithful" can, they
must chose more honest means of
making living; but in cases where
this cannot be done, under no circum-
stances must they sell TO children, to
those who arc not their own masters,
nor 10 those whom they foresee are
going to abuse drink. Bar-rooms must
be closed on Sunday, and swearing,
cursing and immodest conversation
within the walls of their saloons, must
be strictly prohibited. and the prohibi-
ton risidly enforced. The decree
concludes by saying: If through their
oulpable fault or cooperation religion
is brought into disrespect or men
dragged into ruin, let them remember
that there j. a Vindicator in heaven
who will most certainly visit on them
the most awful punishment"
A young clergyman who has been
a5oring in the mountain regions of
Kentucky says: 1.-The ministers in the
mountain regions are ignorant. They
never preach when there is an educated
person in the congregation. which
seldom happens The Methodist
ministers are little better than the
baptist. They generally own a Bible
concordance, but they think they know
all there is to know. One minister
who listened to the debate on the shape
of the earth said l ought to be drummed
out OF the place fer teaching such inf :
deity. enc man ked me to 60 home
with him and fix his clock. He thought
because had been to college 1 could
do anything Luckily for me happened
to fix the clock so it would go. The
ministers preach about once month
but never think of doing so every Sum
day One minister knew had been
in the. penitentiary, and it was my i'm
preston that he ought to have remained
there. The religious fervor Of many Of
them is above 100, while their morality
Is at zero
George w. Nellis, Jr., of Herkimer,
n y, rode his wheel from that place
to San Francisco between May "a and
Aug. His expenses averaged 80 per
day. His entire kit was in a 5x9 inch
grip. The distance was 1869 miles.
The Detroit customs people bothered
him. for he came through Canada. 1t
was paradise to wheel it in Nebraska
along the Platte. He averaged II miles
day. In the mountains he followed
the Pacific railway. walking fifty and
riding ten miles The scat of his pants
was much patched.
"
Prof. Lucy NJ. Salmon. the new oc-